


A Wreath and  Two Agents

by Lokiiwood



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 04:17:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17297612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokiiwood/pseuds/Lokiiwood
Summary: This fic is part of a two-part collab with Razz for the Mystic Messenger server's 2018 Winter Zine!“Your first task is to obtain a shopping cart on your way in. Do you think you’re prepared? It’s dangerous.” The serious voice ended with a light snicker , and Jumin scowled.“Naturally, Luciel. Inform me of the dangers.”The younger man simply laughed over the earpiece before clearing his voice. “Don’t smash your fingers between other – pfft – carts.”“Understood.”





	A Wreath and  Two Agents

**For access to the full Winter Zine including the accompanying illustration by Razz (pages 29-32),[check out the Tumblr post here](https://mm-discord.tumblr.com/post/181417370867/mystic-messenger-winterzine)!**

 

_“Status of your approach?”_

The serious voice in his ear droned away. Without a doubt, his movements were being monitored from a distant location shrouded in mystery. Jumin sighed, double-checking that he was somewhat between the parking lines at the back of the lot away from other cars before finally shutting off the engine. It was a miracle he’d made it here safely at all.

“Progressing,” he answered. The outside chill was already beginning to seep in from the mere seconds without the heat blaring. He grimaced, but adjusted his black coat, which had been specifically designed and constructed for this day. His mission would be a success no matter what. Even details such as this needed to be properly addressed. Deep pockets on both the inside and outside prepared him for any small trinkets that needed to be specially guarded; lined, double-stitched and waterproof material would protect him from the weather and any unexpected ailments; a zipper - hailed as impossible to break or tangle in thread - would make him faster. He was prepared for anything.

Jumin exited the car, gray eyes peering over the busy parking lot for signs of any cameras that suddenly turning in his direction.

“There will be a crosswalk if you go straight and then turn left at the bright red car.”

“Affirmative.”

Jumin followed the instructions, stuffing his hands in his pockets before lifting his head high. As he approached the described vehicle, voices not belonging to his teammate began to whisper, carried along the chilly air.

_“Jumin, the battle is beginning earlier than anticipated. Be on your guard, but follow the plan_ _.”_

“Affirmative,” he grumbled, gulping back the steadily building anxiety. This wouldn’t stop him; he’d prepared for factors not part of the mission, and he always had the guide to assist him. He took the left, eyes widening for only a brief moment before they darted over the scene before him. There were couples, children, determined faces of men and women, security who acted as crowd control, and even a few dogs tucked warmly in arms or cages – their fear surely mirrored in their shaking limbs.

His steps faltered until the laughter of excited children distracted him. The two boys jumped up and down, hand-in-hand alongside their guardians as they breezed through the crowd. This sight calmed him, and he exhaled. He could do this. He could do Christmas shopping in the name of the RFA.

_“Your first task is to obtain a shopping cart on your way in. Do you think you’re prepared? It’s dangerous.”_ The serious voice ended with a light snicker, and Jumin scowled.

“Naturally, Luciel. Inform me of the dangers.”

The younger man simply laughed over the earpiece before clearing his voice. _“Don’t smash your fingers between other – pfft – carts_.”

“Understood.”

Jumin glanced as people grabbed carts from one another before rushing inside the mall. It seemed they input coins in exchange for a key to be able to physically roll them. Hm. Perhaps they accepted card?

“Excuse me, ma’am,” he spoke up, being squeezed past as he addressed the young employee stationed around the shopping carts.

“Uh? Yes, how can I help you, sir?”

“I would like to purchase one of these carts. Is it possible to pay by card?”

His weapon of choice – a C&R brand gold membership card donned with strips of real gold – slipped between his fingers to show her. Her eyes squinted at it before widening, roving over his body with clear confusion. Was she going to answer his question?

“Y-you don’t, uh, buy the carts, sir. You just rent one…”

“It’s a rent-only purchase?” Well that certainly was a business model choice, but not one encouraged by the general public.

“You don’t really um…you just put in a 500 won coin to get the key and unlock the wheels. It’s just there so carts aren’t left in parking lots. It’s not really renting, you get your money back.”

His mind raced trying to piece the new information together. So, the shopping carts were more of a service that mutually benefited the stores and customers. He carefully tucked the card back in his wallet. Well, regardless of the business practices of malls he didn’t have a 500 won coin.

_“Are you giving up your very first task? You haven’t even made it inside the mall!”_

Jumin opened his mouth to retort before an older woman brushed beside him.

“You must be new to this to not bring any coins. Here, young man, please take this.” She laughed and placed the coin in his hands, slapping his wrists with enthusiasm before continuing on.

“Thank you, ma’am. If you’re willing to provide me with your information, I’ll of course compensate y-“

“Get something nice for your mother!” she called to him before hurrying off with her own cart back into the crowd. His shoulders slacked. Right, his mother. Well, he’d never agreed to the woman’s vocal contract, but he’d still follow through with the idea of giving to others.

_“Aw man, even when no one knows who he is, the handsome Jumin Han still gets his way.”_

“Directions, Luciel.” He didn’t have time for these quips. They were irrelevant to the mission at hand. Of course, he’d also studied and memorized the opening, closing, and busy hours of every store inside the mall. And now it would all become useful.

_“Your first stop is the most important – ornaments. Go straight and take a left at Bloomsdale.”_

Jumin rushed among the crowd, wincing as his hands were squeezed between passing carts and hoping Luciel didn’t notice. He glanced at the posture of the people around him before mimicking it, retracting his hands to sit neatly in the middle of the handle. Soon, he was rolling into the large and imposing store with Christmas decorations strewn sloppily in every direction. He’d never been to a mall before, but he was certain this was not the usual. It certainly wasn’t indicative of the fine boutiques he normally visited. Would there be a store under C&R’s jurisdiction in such disarray during this chaotic time? It was unfathomable.

“ _Enough staring, more ornament-buying_!”

Right. Jumin went down the first aisle, pausing every few steps to inspect the colorful displays of red, gold, and green boxes full of things he recognized – circular ‘bulbs’ and LED lights – and things he didn’t recognize like dancing Santas and singing reindeer. Were _they_ supposed to dangle from trees, too? Where would someone put that?

No matter, he didn’t have time to waste. It was always better to be over-prepared than under. With that, he tossed one of each into the cart and continued to the next aisle.

_“Not going to check the price, Mr. Han?”_

“It won’t affect my purchasing decision, so it’s an unnecessary activity.”

_“Ri-ight.”_

Jumin reached for a particularly shiny set of golden tinsel before a man snatched it and rushed on. Well, that was rude.

_“Aw, I really would’ve loved to see that.”_

Jumin straightened up. Negotiation, he could do that. “I’ll see what I can do, Luciel.”

He didn’t see the man, long gone, and instead turned to an employee who was rushing to restock rainbow tinsel nearby with bits of various tinsel sprinkled around his person.

“Excuse me, sir, I have an inquiry regarding your stocking.”

Without looking, the man nodded. “Stockings are in the next aisle – number three.”

What were those? “No, I actually was asking about your gold tinsel.”

“Gold? We got a truck but not until tonight.”

“A truck? How much for the truck?”

_“What?”_

“What?”

The man finally glanced over, before doing a double-take and rushing to stand. “Wait, you look familiar.”

_“Oh no, abort! Abort!”_

“Wait, are you a model?”

_“Pfft!”_

Ignoring Luciel, Jumin sighed. “I am not, but I did model a few times for various business magazines. About the tin-“

“Oh wow! Jumin Han? Of C&R?” The man’s smile widened as he spoke, his eyes seeming to sparkle just as much as the bits of tinsel stuck in his hair.

“That’s amazing, hey, um, I can help you. What do you need?”

“…Gold tinsel.”

The man rushed to point at the various boxes lining the aisle, his voice picking up to sound more like a salesman than a guide. “Well, while we’re out of the specific type you’re looking for featuring only gold tinsel, we do have assorted collections that might suit your needs! There’s yellow, green, and red - perfect holiday colors. We also have mixed gold, yellow, and orange, if you’re feeling a little experimental, Mr. Han. And may I also suggest the rainbow tinsel? It’s not popular, but it always looks absolutely fantastic.”

Jumin peered around at the man’s suggestions. They all, more-or-less, contained the described color he needed, but… Well, there was no time to waste. He’d simply have to acquire enough of the assortments to obtain the suggested ten boxes’ worth of gold.

“Alright, I’ll have about eight of each then.”

The man furrowed his brow while letting out a light chuckle. “Eight of each? Like all three?”

“Is that a problem?”

“N-no, not at all. I’ll get those for you!” The man quickly began tossing in the boxes himself, and Jumin’s mind had already directed him to the next task.

_“My_ _beautiful Mr. Han is getting the special treatment.”_

Was this not normal? Jumin couldn’t tell, and it frustrated him. Would Luciel explain himself? He glanced around for cameras and saw one nearby, sitting neatly at the end of the aisle on the ceiling. As if it noticed, it quickly turned away from him.

“Thank you for your services. If I require them again, I will certainly return for your assistance.”

And with that, Jumin wheeled the cart away. The rest of the list was comprised of things he recognized, easily securing them despite the chaos of the environment. Plastic balls, glass balls, and wreaths took up the majority of the cart, but it didn’t hinder him. He even secured a second cart, carefully maneuvering it around people who gave him strange looks and the employee who continued to occasionally answer his questions:

“What is the largest size wreath you have? Do the ‘teardrop’ glasses symbolize sadness? I enjoy these Christmas village replicas, are there towns or cities? Do you have real icicles? Is it possible to rent a Santa from your store? These ones designated as outside lights, are they waterproof? How many meters can they be safely connected? This ornament is a bulb, but these string of lights say there are 150 bulbs. Does that mean the circle bulbs light up, too?”

Jumin returned to the ‘stocking’ aisle, one arm tangled in lights an eager employee had opened to demonstrate for him. He also had a ruby decorative bulb in one hand and a ‘stocking’ in the other. Was this even allowed of them?

“I don’t understand, do you stuff the stockings with bulbs? How are you supposed to wear these?”

Seven groaned on the other end. “ _N-no, Jumin, you don’t wear them. The stockings are for Santa. Leave them empty._ ”

“I thought you were to leave cookies for Santa. What use does he have owning so many stockings?”

Luciel laughed on the other end but didn’t bother to explain himself. By chance, Jumin looked up to see the nearest security camera freely spinning around as if it, too, were laughing.

_“Ask him what garland is made of. They love questions like that.”_

“Excuse me, sir, what materials are your garlands typically composed of? Do you have anything certified as organic or low-forest impact?”

“I don’t know anything about that. If it’s not on the box, probably not, sir.”

“Alright, thank you.”

The man hurriedly took off, and Jumin frowned as the employee slipped around the corner. He did as Luciel asked. Was the way he worded it strange enough to elicit such a reaction?

_“Your mission is nearly complete, comrade! The only thing left is the mistletoe_ _!”_

He’d read about that tradition, but it hardly had enough consistency. If two people found themselves under one, they were to kiss, but they typically dangled in doorways. It wasn’t common for two people to go through a door at once, and it would be unlikely two people wouldn’t notice something so obvious as a plant hanging from a doorway for it to happen. Perhaps that was the charm of it?

Furthermore, Jumin didn’t know if mistletoe was a singular or plural word, and how many were expected to be hung around. One for each doorway? One for every two people? He could ask Luciel, but he doubted he’d get a straight answer. People avoided his two overflowing carts, immediately turning to one another to whisper as he passed. He should hurry out of here.

An employee, different from the others who’d aided him, gave a wry grin when their eyes met. “Hello, Mr. Han, is there anything I can help you with?”

She fiddled with her hands, glancing over at the boxed mistletoe in his hand.

“That’s our most popular one. Everyone is happy with it. It lights up with programmable colors, but it certainly looks beautiful all on its own. You can even detach the wire, so it doesn’t show.”

Jumin smoothed his thumb over the sleek texture of the box, debating of its use. Considering the size of the event and how many doorways there were…

 “And you said this guarantees happiness?”

She hesitated in her response but nodded her head.

“I’ll take 10, then.”

The check-out went smoothly enough, considering five separate employees helped package his belongings. They gathered around the register, gasping at the final price and then gasping once more when Jumin produced his credit card. Perhaps that would’ve been comfortable enough…had he not heard them fail at whispering as he finally exited the store – a complete weirdo, they said.

_“Jumin?”_

“Yes, Luciel?”

_“What’s wrong?”_

“Nothing, the mission went smoothly. I’m nearly at the parking lot.”

_“No, I mean, are you alright? You look sad.”_

Did he? Jumin glanced at his reflection in a car window as he passed. He did look exhausted – but sad? It was debatable.

_“Hey…”_ Luciel groaned on the other end, but his voice lost its playful edge as he continued. _“Look, Jumin, everyone really appreciates you going out of your way like this. You didn’t hear them talking, but even Zen was impressed you did something personally. It meant a lot to them. They’re going to be really happy. They are really happy.”_

Jumin finally found his car and pushed down the anxiety of being on the road once again. He opened the trunk and rushed to fill it with his ridiculous amount of ornaments.

“And you, Luciel?”

_“Me?”_

“Are you happy? You always disappear around this time of year.”

_“I’m…heh, well, I’m better than I deserve. And I had a lot of fun today. With you.”_

 With him? Jumin wasn’t sure he’d ever heard those words strung together like that, but he found himself gently smiling anyway.

“Yes, me too.”


End file.
